Force Wanderer
by Kraven Ergeist
Summary: Serge Verdammt is a Jedi torn between light and dark. A haunted past and a cloudy future dominate his destiny. But once he meets Kim, a red Twi'lek and Jedi Assasin, everything changes... CH. 4 IS UP!
1. Chapter One

**Star Wars Fan Fiction**

**Force Wanderer**

By Kraven Ergeist

A/N: This is a side story, taking place after the long and the short of the majority of the Star Wars universe. The Jedi Academy is in full bloom, and the offspring of Skywalker – Jaicen, Jaina, Anakin and Ben – have all become full-fledged Jedi. Master Skywalker remains the headmaster of the academy, however, this story involves entirely fabricated characters. This is not a fic that concerns any of the major characters in the Star Wars universe, this fic exists for its own sake.

Chapter One

Above the ever-active metropolis of Coruscant, a ship that stood out no more than any other made its way to the planet's surface. It was a medium sized ship that could comfortably fit five people and uncomfortable fit twenty. Lightly armored and lightly equipped, it was designed for a single pilot to operate from any usage from scouting to rescue missions. The pilot of this ship however, was on a slightly different type of mission.

A thin flimsy protocol droid wobbled its way through the interior of the ship until it came to the cockpit, where the ship's lone occupant sat at the controls.

"For the record, Kim, the odds of finding one individual among the masses of Coruscant are precisely 8,795,410,852 to 1."

The individual before the droid was silent, as she pensively scanned their surroundings as her ship was guided into long-term parking. Embroidered head tails lay dangling, lazily next to Kim's shoulders, as a brown robe typical of a Jedi covered every other part of her body. Her red skin shone with the exuded light of the ship's controls.

"Do me a favor, Dee," the Twi'lek intoned, ironically, "And keep that kind of poodoo to yourself."

The droid nodded in compliance as Kim Jagosa left her seat and walked down the ramp of her ship.

xxxxx

While the droid's computer brain may have justified such estimates, it did not factor in one crucial fact.

Kim was a Jedi.

Since the expansion of the New Republic, Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy had unleashed some hundred Jedi into the galaxy. Of that number, fifteen were currently on Courascant. Kim could sense them all. Fourteen of them were clearly aligned to the light side. But her target was one that was not so.

That said, finding this particular Jedi was not much of a challenge.

She had located him before actually initiating contact. She was a tracker, a hunter of sorts, and it was crucial to learn as much about her target as possible before rushing in. Patience had always been a strength of hers at the Jedi Academy.

She learned some surprising facts about her target. She had been sent after a Jedi turned evil who had gone missing from the academy.

The Sith's name was Serge Verdammt.

"I was told that this Jedi had become a full fledged Sith," Kim mused to her droid, back on her ship, reviewing her data. It had been two weeks already, and she was still unsure about her target. "For a Sith, however, his actions don't seem too malevolent. He uses his persuasive powers to get food and drink without pay, but what money he does come across, he gives to street urchins and beggars. And while he spends most of his time holed up in the local cantina, he doesn't do anything malicious, save the random bar fight, none of which I've seen him instigate. He doesn't seem to have any real objective or goal. He just spends his time lounging from one day to the next."

The droid, D-4PO, just hummed. "So what do you intend to do, Mistress Kim?"

Kim stood and threw her hood on. "I'm going to make first contact and see how it goes."

Dee sighed, abjectly. "Oh dear…please be careful, Mistress."

Kim smiled. "I will. I'll stay in constant contact with the ship, okay?"

With that, she stepped off to meet her target face on.

xxxxx

At first, Serge Verdammt didn't notice anything different. He had been coming here night after night, and nothing seemed to be solved. He sat at a secluded table, drank until he lost any perception of the Force, and then made his way home to the dump of a shack that posed as such, and fell asleep to face the next morning.

But something was different tonight. Before taking a sip of his first drink, he felt a slight tremor in the air around him. He realized immediately that there was someone with a strong force connection present.

Instead of downing his glass, he slumped his head, while silently stretching out with his feelings, touching each individual around him, until he found the person he was searching for.

"Hey, there," came a seductive voice.

Serge glanced towards the source of the voice, as young woman wearing little to no clothes pranced around him, dangling herself before him.

"Feel like doing something naughty?" the woman offered.

Serge reached into his pocket and took out a wad of bills and offered it to her. "Take it and go."

The woman frowned. "Aw…you can't give this to me and not get anything out of-"

Serge threw her a forceful glare. "I said…take it and go…"

The woman turned around and walked away.

Serge did not spare her a second glance as he felt the force presence get closer. Serge stirred uneasily as he turned and saw the female Jedi come and face him.

"I saw that," she muttered, sitting across from him.

Serge tried to sound distracted. "Saw what?"

The red Twi'lek tossed a head tail around her neck and smiled. "For a Sith, you don't hide your presence well at all."

Serge threw her a look that would have melted steel. "Who are you? A Jedi?"

"You're quick."

Serge refocused his attention to his drink. "Leave me be. Any business I have with the Jedi has long since passed."

Kim crossed her arms. "I'm afraid that's not for you to decide. I am under orders to bring the Sith Serge Verdammt to the Jedi Academy, or failing that, to eliminate him."

Serge threw her a withering glare. "I'm no Sith. If that's what you Jedi call anyone who doesn't adhere to your dogma, then I suppose you could call me that, but I do not serve the Dark Side."

Kim frowned and leaned over the table. "Then what are you?"

Serge shrugged. "I am whatever I care to be. Now leave me in peace, Jedi. I am not threat to your order."

Kim paused, unsure of how to proceed from this point.

"I…I have orders," Kim stammered. "And orders say that I am either to bring the Sith Lord Serge Verdammt to the Jedi Academy, or failing that, to eliminate him."

Serge looked up again. "I told you, I'm no Sith."

"You wield a red lightsaber," Kim accused.

"My original was confiscated," Serge explained. "I had to make due."

"You are reported to employ Dark Side powers," Kim went on.

"I told you," Serge glared. "I do not adhere to the dogma of the Jedi."

Kim scowled. "If you are a not a Sith or a Jedi than what are you?"

Serge sat back, arms crossed. "…You really want to hear the story?"

Kim blinked once, then nodded.

"Then listen closely, I'm not going to repeat anything…"


	2. Chapter Two

**Star Wars Fan Fiction**

**Force Wanderer**

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter Two

Serge had always been a good student at the academy. He was at the top of his class, and even outshone most disciples in the higher levels. The only Jedi's to have surpassed him were the Headmaster's kin – Ben Skywalker, and Jaicen, Jaina and Anakin Solo. Apart from those with the Skywalker lineage, however, Serge excelled in every field – force mastery, saber arts, meditation disciplines, diplomacy, and many others.

This, however, was not enough for the young disciple.

At the beginning of his last year at the academy, on the eve of his 18th year, Serge met a new student who had transferred into the Academy as a first year. Her name was Judas Filaan, a stunning young woman of fiery blonde hair and gorgeous features. Serge took to her immediately, forgetting all discipline concerning controlling one's feelings and emotions. He was absolutely stricken with her, and spent all his free hours by her side, being as friendly and affectionate as he could.

At first, Judas was cold and treated him with disdain. Still, Serge pursued her. And still, Judas ignored him. Until one day, he took the blame for her, after she was involved in an accident that left an entire wing of the ruins that made up the Academy grounds in shambles, a misdemeanor that was grounds for a semester's suspension. Being an honors student and an upper classman, Serge got off with a month, but Judas took the act to heart. Afterwards, she and Serge became more involved. They would study together, go on secret outings, and eventually became close to the point where it would become a problem if any of the teacher's found out.

Which, of course, they eventually did. What Serge didn't know, however, was that Judas was a Sith.

"I cannot abide this, Serge," Headmaster Skywalker told him, after finding the two of them hidden together in a vacant classroom. Several other Jedi were gathered at the doorway to gasp in shock at the proceedings. "Any love apart from altruism is forbidden at the Academy and is highly frowned upon in the Jedi order," Luke said, sharply. "The only reason it is permitted at all is because the Jedi are still too few, and the bloodline of those strong with The Force is too crucial to disallow procreation. Even so, you are still a youngling. Under normal circumstances, I would let you off with a stern warning. However…"

Luke drew his lightsaber and pointed it at Judas' face. "The young woman you are holding in your arms is a Sith spy!"

Serge stared first at his uncle's angry face, and then at Judas's sullen one.

"Jude…?" Serge asked. "He's lying, isn't he?"

Judas drooped her head sullenly. "I wanted to tell you, Serge…but I thought that you would…hate me if you knew."

"Jude…" The young Jedi sobbed. "So that 'accident' before was...?"

"You have to believe me!" The Sith girl said, clutching him by the shoulders. "After meeting you, everything changed! The…the plan was to breach the Academy and allow a Sith strike team to penetrate the walls of the Academy. But after meeting you…there was no way I could have gone through with it. Not if it meant betraying the man I love."

She released the boy and looked at Master Skywalker. "What I'm trying to say is that I am an outcast to the Sith order now! Please don't throw me back to them! They'll kill me the first chance they get!"

Master Skywalker frowned. "I'm afraid this breach cannot be remedied with simple banishment."

Serge gasped, falling to his knees. "That…you can't _do _that!"

The Headmaster pursed his lips. "I'm afraid that I have no choice. A Sith in the Jedi Academy is unacceptable. She will face execution."

Serge drew his blue lightsaber. "You will die before you lay a finger on her!"

Every on looking Jedi placed a worried hand on their weapons, but the Headmaster waved them back.

"Serge," Luke said, drawing his emerald green blade. "Please don't do this."

Serge screamed and let loose a flurry of attacks, striking at the Headmaster with all the anguish he felt. Luke parried his student's attacks with ease, knocking back Serge's saber with his emerald green blade.

"Please!" Luke exclaimed. "Don't!"

Serge kept screaming again and again, until he lost focus on his attacks and simply attacked with all the rage in his heart.

Luke finally retaliated, knocking the lightsaber from his hand.

"Restrain him!" he commanded to the observing Jedi, who swiftly obeyed. Luke stepped forward to the young woman in front of him, who fell to her knees. "I'll make you an offer. My wife was once a Sith. She rescinded the Dark Side for my sake. I ask you to do the same for my student's sake. Forgo the Dark Side, Judas, and uphold the light. Do this, and you shall be spared Jedi justice."

Judas stared back at the Jedi, a look of unforgiving ridicule in her eyes. "You don't get it, do you, Skywalker!? You married a former Sith and you still don't get it! The day your wife rescinded the Dark Side was the day she also rescinded every ounce of passion she ever felt for you! The Dark Side _is_ passion! Without it, we cannot feel love, joy, desire, ecstasy, anything that comes from the bond between one and another! You're asking me not only to forgo my passion for Serge, but to forgo what it is that makes me who I am!"

Luke frowned, holding his lightsaber over her. "I ask you one last time: relinquish the Dark Side." Between clenched teeth, he voiced. "…Please. I don't want to leave my student broken hearted. Please!"

Judas glared back. "You have my answer, Skywalker. Give me your Jedi justice!"

Serge flailed in the grasp of his captors. "Master Skywalker! No!"

Luke raised his lightsaber, a look of sorrow on his face. "Then you leave me no choice."

With one swift motion, he undid her life.

xxxxx

"I was never the same after that," Serge said to Kim. "I took up her lightsaber and fled the Academy. I've been living alone since then, grief stricken. At one point, I almost turned to the Dark Side. But I held back from seeking vengeance, mostly because I was too afraid. So, instead, I hid myself and buried my grief…in this stuff," he indicated the bottle before him. "Now, I am merely lost, not truly light or dark. I employ powers from either side, using both, trusting neither. And to this day I remain…" Serge sighed, taking a deep breath. "When you allow yourself to love, you begin to wonder why you ever became a Jedi. Its principles forbid anything to exist between individuals. If a Jedi feels love, it must be equally dispersed among all. You have to let go of what it is that makes us warm blooded creatures.

"And the Sith are no better. Rather than suppressing the passion that drives us, they embrace it, letting it consume every bit of free will they have. Passion includes love, yes, but it also includes greed, anger, lust for power…these are not things I have need for. I just want to wither away. I may be free of the Academy, free of the Sith…free to love. But at the end of it all, there is no one left for me to love. They have each chosen their sides…"

Serge waved his hand. "Sorry, I'm rambling. So, if I have disillusioned any notions of being a Sith…"

Kim frowned, staring hard at the young Jedi. His hair was long and ragged, his face unclean and unshaven, and his garb would suggest that he had been living a street life for years.

As much as Kim hated to admit it, his story was valid. Though she sensed traces of the Dark Side in him, she also sensed traces of the light as well.

What gave her pause was her mission. Was she to return home to the Jedi outpost on Corellia and report her failure? Would they see the situation as she did? Or was she to lie, and say she and killed her target? No, the council was very good at detecting lies, even from other Jedi. Besides, suppose Serge were to appear again somewhere?

Even if she did leave him as is, who was to say he wouldn't turn to the Dark Side after the fact?

No, she decided. Kim stood from her seat across from the young Jedi. "My orders were clear: I am either to bring the Sith Serge Verdammt to the Jedi Academy, or failing that, to eliminate him."

Serge sighed deeply before standing. "I suppose that leaves us at an impasse. Know this: I shall never return to the Jedi Academy. You shall have to kill me."

Kim inhaled. "Step outside, then. No need to involve all these people."

Serge shrugged, heading towards the exit. "As you would have it."

xxxxx

The two Jedi faced off on the rooftops of the slums, secluded but for the buzz of traffic overhead, notorious for running at all hours.

Kim had discarded her Jedi robes in favor of her freer, more mobile leather tunic and pants, allowing for easier movement amidst combat. Serge shed his outer cloak as well, wrapped in freer but no less dirty leathers.

"Have I established that this is not a fight I wish to partake in?" Serge voiced sardonically.

"You've made your point clear," Kim responded. "Though I'm sure that you're aware of how little weight it bears on my decision."

"Indeed," Serge sighed. "Then I suppose there's no choice..."

Tentively, he unholstered Judas's lightsaber, a beautifully sculpted instrument of black and silver. He bore it horizontally before his face, bowing it in like a sword of honor. He then gripped the hilt firmly, feeling its cold energy grow to life.

_Respect everyone and everything_, his master's words repeated themselves in his head. _Even when they don't deserve it, give them your respect. You may find they may give it in return._

Kim responded to his actions by unholstering her own lightsaber, and holding it out to the side, her thumb hovering over the activation switch.

For a moment, the two stood, their force senses flexing and resounding, getting a feel for their environment. In moments, both were acutely aware of every cubic inch of space in a radius of about half a kilometer. They stood motionless, sizing up one another, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

In a single action, Kim flipped the switch on her lightsaber, unleashing a sapphire blade of energy, and made a dash towards her opponent.

Serge reacted immediately, allowing his own, scarlet blade to emerge from the hilt of his saber, meeting the oncoming attack with a parry.

The fight was on, with Kim hammering Serge with a flurry of ferocious attacks, each swing fast and deadly. Serge fended her off, backing his way across the rooftop as continued to steer her saber away just enough to miss him.

Not ten moves later, Serge felt the space behind him decrease to nothing. Dodging what would have been a move that had removed his legs, he launched himself upwards, landing on the fire escape of the adjacent wall of a taller neighboring residence.

Kim perused unhesitatingly, keeping the red saber wielding Jedi on his toes. Up the rusty stairs she pressed, slicing through railings like a hot knife through butter, leaving hot yellow stickers where they passed. Up the winding staircase the two climbed, Kim swiping at Serge's ankles any chance she got. Serge just barely managed to fend her off one handed, his left devoted to the railing, keeping his rate of climb at a maximum.

When he reached the top, Serge leapt away from the fire escape, landing at the center of yet another rooftop, earning him a few precious moments to recollect himself.

Kim calmly stepped over to him, and with a mighty swing, locked blades with the young Jedi.

Serge held off her attack, both of their sabers crackling dangerously close to his face. Pressed for ideas, he spoke.

"By the way," he grunted, "You never told me your name."

Kim threw him back, her saber still raised defensively. "What do you care?"

Serge shrugged, his saber held loosely before him. "I don't know. You know my name, it's only fair that we're even."

Kim hesitated for a moment before smirking. "I'm Kim Jagosa. Remember it. It'll be the last name you hear."

Serge grinned. "Don't be too sure…"

Serge lifted his left hand and spat a shower of lighting that Kim just barely managed to catch amidst the energy of her blade. She changed her stance to better absorb the fierce energy, and missed seeing Serge's advance, as he let go of his force lightning and released a flying kick that knocked Kim's lightsaber from her grasp. Before she could move, his crimson blade was inches from her throat.

Kim gasped, adrenaline and endorphins suddenly causing her to drop to one knee. She panted, refusing to meet his gaze. "…Kill me quickly."

Serge didn't respond. He didn't move. Kim was almost positive that he didn't breath.

"There's just no point."

Kim finally raised her eyes up towards Serge.

His blade was lowered.

"I've never appreciated mercy," Kim spat.

"There just isn't a point," Serge sighed, turning away. "I kill you, another Jedi comes, and I kill and kill until one of them bests me. Fruitless and destructive to both sides with no hope of either truly being successful in the end."

Kim still hadn't moved. "Then why don't you turn yourself in?"

Serge frowned and shook his head. "…No. You may consider me to be a Sith, but I have my honor. I will never set foot amongst the Jedi at large so long as I live." Serge turned to face her. "I've walked a razor's edge since I left the Academy. Sometimes, I think that the only reason I haven't turned is that I've never taken a life. Somehow, that knowledge is enough to convince me that there's still a chance. I don't know."

Kim didn't respond.

"Return to where you came from and have them send another Jedi," Serge said, turning his back. "Maybe I'll get lucky and be able to reason with them as well."

Serge took a step. And another.

And then Kim drew her lightsaber to her, snatching it out of the air and drew it, pointed at the back of Serge's head.

He froze.

"Your solution doesn't help me, Serge," Kim glared. "I've never reported a single failure in my life. You're not about to be my first."

Serge turned around and smiled. "Well…then kill me."

Kim furrowed her brow. "You can't be serious!"

Serge held his arms out wide. "It's the best solution. I won't have to kill a single Jedi, nor will I have to set foot on Jedi soil, and you can report back successful. It satisfies both our ends."

Kim didn't move. Mentally debating with herself, she stood motionless, running over the possibilities and implications in her head a thousand times.

"My orders were clear: I am either to bring the Sith Serge Verdammt to the Jedi Academy, or failing that, to eliminate him."

Kim retracted her lightsaber. Her face softened.

"I see no Sith here," she said, holstering her saber. "You are, however, my only lead. I will continue to track you until I have verified that the Sith Serge Verdammt never arises."

Serge let out a chortle. "Are you serious? You would devote your life to ensuring that I never threaten your order?"

Kim nodded. "I am a Jedi, Serge, and a patient one. The real question is, are you so certain that you will never, even for a moment, turn to the Dark Side? Because the instant you do…I'll be there. I'll be there to fulfill my duty."

Serge could only huff. "Duty. Is that what the Jedi are calling it now? It used to be called 'destiny' back in the Dark Times. Do you know why people invent these things called 'duty' and 'destiny?' So that those who cannot trust their instincts have a reason to follow some coda that they only think they believe in. Duty…destiny…how convenient that these terms outline anything a higher power wishes you to believe in."

Kim exhaled. "Spare me your rationale. This meeting is over."

Serge raised an eyebrow. "Oh…so this was a 'meeting' now?"

Kim turned her back. "For both our sakes…let it be our last."

Serge crossed his arms. "Maybe, maybe not…me, I just hope that next time we meet, we needn't cross sabers, huh Kim?"

Kim walked off. "Keep dreaming, Serge, keep dreaming."


	3. Chapter Three

**Star Wars Fan Fiction**

**Force Wanderer**

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter Three

Kim went back to her ship and continued monitoring all of Serge's activity. Beyond that, she spent her time at the Jedi archives in Coruscant, reading over the manuscripts, particularly those that dealt with Light and Dark Jedi. All accounts seemed to point in the same direction: once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. So how could this Jedi be any different? How could he walk the razor's edge and not fall?

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Kim had been monitoring Serge nonstop, and was beginning to grow weary. Was he going to continue living like this, simply sleeping the day away, only to drink all night long amidst the jovial bar folk?

It came as a great surprise to Serge when he saw the red Twi'lek enter the bar. He was unconcerned, already on his third round, and welcomed her with a smile.

"Kim," he practically sang, his cheeks red from drink. "So nice to see you here. Bored already? I thought you said you were a patient Jedi."

Kim sat down in front of the man, noting with no small amount of disdain his continued lack of hygiene. "Patience is one thing. What you're doing is just plain sad. Don't you have a life?"

Serge held his arms out, a bottle in one hand. "This _is_ my life, Kim. You don't like it, give up and go home."

Kim sighed, shaking her head. "You insist on living a life of indulgence, yet you never accept any of the invitations you get from the local ladies. You've turned down every offer you've received since I've been on Coruscant."

Serge raised his eyebrows. "Wow, you really have been keeping tabs on me." He knocked back his tankard, emptying it. "Well, for starters, there's no telling what kind of diseases these women carry. Secondly, you'd have to have pretty low standards to call these people 'ladies.' And lastly – Waiter! Another round, please!"

Kim turned to see a bearded waiter come by to take his empty bottle. "Will the lady be having anything?"

Kim shook her head, smiling. "No thank you."

Serge smiled. "Oh, come on – I'm buying."

Kim threw the man a meaningful look. "No you're not."

Serge crossed his arms behind his head. "Tough love. Alright, no that'll be all. Anyway, lastly…" he took a sip from his new drink. "Lastly, have you reached out to these people? Every woman you see, you feel the twisted, burning sadness and loss inside of them."

Kim frowned. "I'm surprised you can sense anything at all in your state."

Serge shook his head. "Pain this deep doesn't hide easily. Their emptiness, their loneliness, their confusion, their hopelessness…it's all too much for me to bear. I could never take pleasure in the arms of someone like that. Simply being in their presence makes me want to slit my wrists. I give them my money in the hopes that it might help them."

Kim nodded. "A very Jedi thing to do."

Serge acted like she hadn't said anything. "I would never even consider such women. Now, someone like you…"

Kim furrowed her brow. "I beg your pardon?"

Serge shook his head. "No, there's a great sadness in you as well. You've experienced a great loss, haven't you?"

Kim gaped. "You…you felt that? You actually…? I…I was hiding it! I know I was! You felt it, even in your state?"

Serge shrugged his shoulders. "You spend all your time amongst the depraved, you become familiar with the way they feel."

Kim nodded, lowering her head. "It was…it was my master. She was killed by a Sith. I've never forgiven them for it. Ever since then, I've taken mission after mission that involved hunting down Sith. Now, I've become an assassin of sorts. Someone for the Jedi order to do their dirty work."

Serge nodded. "That explains your devotion. But I also sense kindness. A deep, affectionate kindness in you…"

Against Kim's red skin, the blush was hard to see, but she turned her face away anyway. "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

Serge frowned. "Why did you come here tonight, Kim? Were you just bored? Or were you looking for something?"

Kim sat back. "I guess I was looking for an answer."

Serge nodded. "Have you found it?"

Kim let a slim smile grace her lips. "I think I'm on the right track."

xxxxx

It was hours before Kim finally dragged Serge out of the bar. It was nearly dawn as she dragged the dirty, smelly Jedi down the street, still busy even at this hour.

"So where exactly do you live?" Kim asked through gasps of fresh air. It had clearly been a while since this Jedi had bathed.

"You're looking at it," Serge mumbled, his speech slurred and uneven, gesturing to an alleyway. Almost all his weight was supported on the Twi'lek. "Home sweet home."

"You must be joking," Kim gaped. She hadn't had anything to drink, but the late hours might have been clouding her judgment. "Come on, you nerf herder, you can spend the night on my ship."

Serge smiled, widely. "Why, thank you, Kim. That's the first generous thing-"

"Don't thank me just yet," Kim smirked. "Before you set foot in one of the sleeping areas, you're going to take nice, long bath."

Serge held up his hands in protest. "That's perfectly fine, Kim. You don't need-"

"I'm not _asking_, Serge," Kim said, dragging the lazy bum towards her ship. The hatch rolled down and she stepped into the ship, depositing the Jedi in the protocol droid's arms.

"Dee, have him cleaned up," Kim ordered. "And put his clothes through the wash cycle. He'll be sleeping in one of the holding chambers. Have it fitted for passengers. I'm going to bed."

The droid nodded its metallic head, hauling the sorry laggard in its arms.

"And who is this fine young lady?" Serge asked, delirious.

The droid decided that he had been addressed. "I am D-4P0, protocol, maintenance and assisted living droid."

"Wow, you're awfully nice," Serge muttered. "Wanna come back to my place?"

The droid decided not to respond.

In the meantime, Kim had flung herself onto he bed, exhausted. All her Jedi discipline, and she was still getting tired by a late night out. She could remember when she could go for three days without sleep. The job was getting easier and easier, either because she was getting better and better, or the Sith were fewer and weaker. Now, all of the sudden, the job required some effort, and she was straining. She needed to get back on the ball.

She began changing into her night robes. As an afterthought, she bolted her door.

xxxxx

Kim awoke before noon that morning and found Serge sleeping away. Despite his slovenly nature, his haired was trimmed, he was clean-shaven and his clothes were looking fit for a king. All in all, he looked rather handsome.

Kim shrugged it off, giving him a shove to wake him up. Kim rarely had such thoughts and when she did, she ignored them.

Serge woke up, his eyes not entirely open and he placed his hand on his head in response to the throbbing in his skull from the night before.

"Kim, I was never meant to see daylight before noon," Serge pleaded. "Let me sleep."

"I was up as long as you were," Kim shot back. "Now get up."

"Says the woman who doesn't have a rancor-sized hangover," Serge grumbled as he swung his legs out of bed.

"You should have thought of that before drowning yourself in that froth," Kim piped, walking off.

Serge grudgingly got out of bed and made his way out of the tiny passenger chamber he had been sleeping in. He shook his head and took a deep breath, glancing out the porthole. "Nice day at least. Feel like some breakfast?"

Kim shook her head. "I ate already."

"Jedi aren't good liars," Serge crossed his arms. "Usually, they get around a question by replying in half truths."

Kim smirked. "Okay then – I only half don't want buy you breakfast."

"Alright, then," Serge grinned. "I'll buy."

"For the last time," Kim laughed, "I know all about you persuading the waiter for a discount."

"I figured that much," Serge shrugged, "When you paid for all the drinks last night."

Kim widened her eyes. "I'm surprised you were conscious enough to remember that."

Serge held his arms out. "What's wrong with a little breakfast? It'd be a good chance to get to know your target a little better. That's why you stopped by last night, isn't it? To learn a bit more about me while I was liquored up."

Kim fought back a look of shame. She shouldn't feel guilty for doing exactly what she'd said she'd be doing – tracking him, learning about him, until she was convinced he was no threat.

Serge shook his head. "Breakfast. That's all. I'll even pay for it – I've got a bit saved up."

Kim took a deep breath. "Keep your money – the Jedi order supplies my funds for their missions, I've got more than enough."


	4. Chapter Four

**Star Wars Fan Fiction**

**Force Wanderer**

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter Four

This time, Kim got to choose the locale for their outing, which meant they wouldn't have to slog through the sleazier part of town. Silently, Kim was thanking whatever gods watched over her in giving her the mind to have her renegade force user clean himself up a bit. The area they were headed wasn't exactly a coat and tie affair, but they wouldn't have tolerated someone as ill kept as Serge had the day before.

What she couldn't understand was Serge's uneasiness. He seemed out of his element out in the sunlight, away from the slums. She could understand that after spending enough time in the danker areas of Couruscant, he would be unfamiliar with the simple easiness that the average salary man on Couruscant was used to, but to be so uptight? Even skittish?

"What's the matter, Serge?" Kim asked him as they strolled the sunny urban streets. "You're acting all tense. I thought you were the one who wanted to go out to eat."

Serge gave her an unconvincing smile. "Just got an odd feeling, is all."

Kim looked at him strangely. There was still so much about this renegade force user she didn't know. What exactly had transpired between the time he left off in his story and now? There was a Jedi council on Couruscant – just as large as the one on Corelia and Yavin 4. When she had asked the resident council if they were aware of a renegade force user living amongst them, they had said there was no one like that on Couruscant. How could they possibly be unaware of him? She had found him easily. And come to that, why was Serge even on Couruscant when he must know that there was a Jedi council?

Kim didn't know where to begin.

"Serge?" she asked aloud.

When he didn't respond, Kim looked around. Serge was nowhere to be found.

"Terrific."

xxxxx

Serge jumped rooftop after rooftop, trying to get away. Not from Kim, but from something else. Something else that had plagued him ever since he'd left the sanctuary of Kim's ship.

"It can't be…" he huffed as he force jumped from one metal tier to the next. "Not now…"

Before he knew it, the one he feared caught up to him.

Serge stopped.

"Jak…"

He turned around and saw a black haired man standing on of the rooftops above him. Although far away, he could hear his voice clearly.

"Serge…" he sneered. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've been hiding from me."

Serge reached into his cloak, searching for Judas' lightsaber. "I can't exactly say I enjoy your company."

Jak grimaced. "You can run and hide all you like, Serge…I _will_ kill you."

Before Serge could get a grip on the hidden metal hilt in his robe, lighting flew from Jak's fingertips. Serge reacted before he could think, flipping over backwards, just barely avoiding the lightning.

He drew his lightsaber, only to see Jak flying at him, his curve-hilted red lightsaber held reverse style in his left hand, ready to strike.

Serge intercepted the blow with his own red lightsaber, turning his blade to intercept another attack milliseconds later. Jak's attacks were lightning fast. Serge ducked as Jak turned his attack into a feint, swinging backwards, landing another blow directly on Serge's blade, delivering a forceful shove that sent Serge careening backwards. Jak sent another wave of lightning that Serge caught with his blade. The force of the attack, however, caused him to step back into nothingness.

With a surprised cry, he tumbled out into space, arms flailing.

Turning himself into the air, he descended into the Couruscant airway traffic, reaching out to seize one of the passing speeders. He landed hard, one leg dangling over the edge, and the speeder dipped before returning to its parallel course with the rest of traffic.

Serge got a hold of himself and turned back and, to his horror, saw Jak landing on another speeder a dozen cars behind his. Serge got to his feet, legs spread for balance, shaking in the tumult of wind whipping past his hair. He saw Jak leap car after car, slowly making his way towards him. Serge glared back at his attacker, poised to jump. As soon as Jak was prepared to jump to his speeder, Serge leapt off to the right, clinging a hold of a speeder going the other direction.

Serge regained his balance once again, and saw that Jak had not given up. He knew he couldn't fight him alone. Maybe if Kim were there…

No. He had left Kim because he hadn't wanted her involved. This was his problem. He should deal with it alone.

Before he could plan his next move, he felt the speeder he was riding shake, aggravatingly. It stopped and shook again. Looking down, Serge could see and angry looking Weequay shaking a fist at him. Before Serge could so much as shrug his shoulder, the Weequay twisted the controls and the entire car flipped over, leaving Serge dangling from the inverted hood.

Cursing his own weakness, he let go, dropping down to the next level of cars.

Jak was right on his tail – literally. He landed on the car in front of him two seconds after Serge. Before Serge could react, Jak let out a bolt of lightning that struck the speeder in the grill, sending it tumbling.

Instinctively, Serge leapt from the flying car, landing with a tumbling roll on a nearby rooftop. His eyes flew to the doomed speeder, and without thinking, he reached out with the force, trying desperately to straighten the craft long enough to land safely.

He had made it this far with a clear conscious.

He couldn't afford any more deaths on his head.

The speeder crash-landed on a flat plasteel surface, crippled but not destroyed. The driver was alive.

That was Serge's last thought before drawing his red lightsaber again and intercepting another volley of lightning, that force him back, this time, against a wall. He hit hard, clenching his eyes shut.

Jak, using his right hand to pin him to the wall with dark force energy, still held his red curve-hilted lightsaber with his left hand. With a mocking grin, he reared back to strike…

And then, the lighting stopped. Instantly, with his right hand, Jak drew a second, identical red lightsaber, drawing it just in time to intercept…

"Kim!"

Jak's head turned around to see what his arm had instinctively swiveled around to catch. His eyes bore red at the intruder, and the Twi-lek was frozen in shock at Jak's evil expression, her blue blade crackling against his red one.

"Kim, get out of here!" Serge shouted.

With a shout, Jak summoned the force, shoving Kim back hard enough to send her tumbling.

"Kim!" Serge grimaced. As much as he despised the Jedi order, a death among their ranks because of his problems would be cripple him with guilt.

Jak grinned as his attention returned to Serge. He brought both curve-hilted lightsabers before him, making a red cross before his chest, before tearing into Serge's already weakened defenses.

Serge withstood about four attacks, before his red lightsaber was knocked away. In a desperate panic, he ducked and dodged, swiveling his body to avoid being hit by Jak's frenzied attack.

Serge stumbled onto his backside, staring up at Jak's red lightsaber coming down at him. Then he saw a purple and green lightsaber come to stop the blade from continuing down its path.

He looked up and saw his rescuers – a black human woman and a bald human man, carrying a purple and green lightsaber, respectively. Both their gazes bore down at the dark haired man.

Jak leapt clear of the newcomers, spitting on the plasteel floor of the tier, and took off, leaping across rooftops to get away.

"After him!" the woman cried, and the bald man dashed after the fleeing man.

Serge took a few breaths, before looking towards where Kim had fallen. She was getting to her feet, and fixing the newcomers with a confused stare.

"Who are you?"

The woman stared at Kim for a few moments, as if trying to decide what to do. Finally, she holstered her purple saber.

"I am Master Ty Reed, of the Jedi council of Couruscant. My erstwhile associate is Master Jerle Rude. Can you tell me who you are, and what your business is on Couruscant?"

Kim bowed. "I am Kim Jagosa, Knight of the Jedi council of Corelia."

Ty nodded. "I see. Then I suppose your mission was to dispose of Serge Verdammt?"

Kim blinked. "Your council knows about him?"

Kim received no answer – a fact that really didn't bother her, seeing as Serge had once again disappeared from sight.

"Serge! Where are you!?"

Returning her focus to the master before, Kim scowled.

"Then they lied to me!"

Ty frowned, pacing about the tier. "Kim…the Sith are dwindling. The man you just saw was one of the last of their kind. They are a dying race. Throughout the years, those of the Jedi order have been able to focus their…latent aggression on those who oppose the light."

"Latent aggression!?" Kim gasped. "What are you talking about? The Jedi fight for peace – Jedi don't feel aggression!"

Ty narrowed her eyes. "That is what we are taught to believe, but the urge is still there. We are taught to believe in pacifism, so that when the urge for violence arises, we are able to overcome it. But the existence of the Sith has slackened this discipline, Kim. With an outlet for aggression – in the name of peace, of course – the Jedi were able to release any aggression they felt. Now, though, there is no one left for us to focus our aggression on, even if we were doing it on a subconscious level. So, we divided."

Kim blinked. "Divided?"

"How many Jedi councils are there, Kim?"

The Twi-lek blinked. "Three."

"In the time of the Old Republic, there was only one Jedi Council here on Couruscant. The separation in three exists so that the collective aggression of each Jedi in their respective council is focused on each other. The three councils act as a series of checks and balances. And the latent aggression of each council serves to strengthen this system. Once again, we have made the most of our physical weaknesses"

Kim nodded. "I think I understand, but what does that have to do with Serge?"

Ty shrugged. "Both the Yavin and the Corelia councils want him dead. That's more than reason enough for us to want him alive. Checks and balances. And since the council knew you were from Corelia, they hid the truth from you."

Kim spat. "Alright, fine. What about that other guy? He looked like a Sith."

Ty nodded. "He was. I believe that he has been after Serge for some time now. The Council here agreed to hide Serge from the Sith. But now that he's found him…"

Kim nodded. "I understand. I'll find Serge."

Ty nodded. "Be quick, he may decide to leave the planet."

"I will. May the Force be with you."

"And you as well."

xxxxx

Kim found Serge eventually, pooling together what wealth he had to his name at the console of a low brow shuttle company.

When he saw Kim, he started.

"Relax, Serge, I'm not here to kill you," Kim huffed. "Though, I wouldn't mind some answers."

Serge looked uneasily at her. "Answers to what?"

"Just who was that guy who almost killed you today?"

Serge refocused his attention to console before him. "An enemy."

"No kidding," Kim furrowed her brow. "Why exactly is he after you?"

Serge took in a deep breath of air. "I…I'm responsible for the death of someone he cared for."

Kim gasped. "You? I thought you said you've never killed anyone!"

Serge nodded. "Technically, _I_ didn't kill her."

Kim suppressed a gasp. "Judas…"

Serge nodded. "That's her brother. And he has it in for me. Which is why I have to get off planet as fast as I can."

Kim blinked, before smiling, wryly. "So what am I, chopped bantha liver?"

Serge looked at her. "What?"

Kim crossed her arms. "Two and a half months with me breathing down your neck, and you can't even ask me for one little favor?"

Serge bit his lip. "Um…well, uh…would it be a problem for you?"

Kim inclined her brow. "Would it be a problem for you to _ask_?"

Serge hesitated again, not sure what kind of game she was playing. "Could…you give me a ride off-world?"

"Sure," Kim winked, immediately turning to go.

Serge hesitated for a few moments, before taking off after her.


End file.
